Governor Mills Establishes Committee to Implement 2020 Census

October 24, 2019

Governor Janet Mills today signed an Executive Order (PDF) establishing the Maine Complete Count Committee to develop and support census counting efforts and to encourage full and accurate participation in the 2020 Census.

The Maine Complete Count Committee will develop, recommend, and assist in Census outreach to encourage full and accurate participation in the 2020 Census. The Committee will submit an interim report by December 31, 2019 with recommendations, and a final report to Governor Mills no later than March 1, 2020 detailing the outreach strategy.

“Having a complete and accurate accounting of our population is essential to our representation in Congress and the State House, to the allocation of billions of dollars of critical federal grants, and to important funding decisions for state-based programs and services,” said Governor Mills. “The 2020 Census is much more than just a head-count. It is a critical measurement that will help ensure our state’s voice is heard in the years to come. I look forward to receiving the Committee’s recommendations on how Maine can complete a full and accurate counting of our population.”

The Constitution requires a counting of the population every ten years and to help accomplish this, the United States Bureau of the Census recommends that each state create a Complete Count Committee.

“The announcement of an Executive Order establishing a Complete Count Committee for the State of Maine is tremendous news,” said Jeff T. Behler, Director of the New York Regional Office of the U.S. Census Bureau. “I thank the Governor for her leadership on the upcoming 2020 Census as so much is at stake in Maine. This Complete Count Committee will provide the necessary planning and implementation to ensure every resident in Maine understands how important the 2020 Census is to their community and their future, how easy it will be to complete the 2020 Census, and that the 2020 Census is safe as every piece of data collected is protected under Federal Law. We look forward to working together to ensure the most complete and accurate count in Maine."

Members of the Committee will include Commissioners or their designees from the Departments of Administrative and Financial Services; Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry; Economic and Community Development; Education; Health and Human Services; Labor; Public Safety; and Transportation as well as the Director or designee from the Governor’s Office of Policy Innovation and the Future and the Secretary of State or designee.

The 2020 Census will be used for reapportionment and redistricting of representatives in the U.S. Congress, Maine Legislature and legislative bodies of local government. The Census will also be used for the appropriation of federal funds and targeting of state resources based on certain regions and populations for infrastructure projects, economic development programs, education and training, and other services.

The Committee may solicit participation from relevant experts and the chair(s) may appoint subcommittees as deemed appropriate. Members will not receive compensation for their services and the Committee will disband on December 31, 2020.